Best project management software for research projects and labs?

Just published this new writeup in our post sequence: How to Get More Important Things Done with the Eisenhower [Effort] Matrix - Inside the Mind of an Aspiring Charity Entrepreneur [Follow Along] #2 — EA Forum (effectivealtruism.org)

In short, after reading through Charity Entrepreneurship's handbook, I tried to implement CE's adapted Eisenhower Matrix on a few of the popular task/project management software.

You can see the Eisenhower Effort Matrix in action in both ClickUp and Notion, as well as my personal usage tips.

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to implement the EEM on Asana.

Hope this helps.

I like Notion quite a lot.

It looks very pretty and is very well-known, does most core "make an org go well" stuff in one place, doesn't feel bloated or frustrating to work with and integrates pretty well with other software.

If you have a small enough team, I think a combination of google sheets, google docs, and todoist works well. 

Asana is quite good, though I found some aspects of it annoying. I found todoist more intuitive on basic task prioritisation

Just commenting to note that I saw this, and don't know that much about the different systems that exist - there are trade-offs, but those are probably project specific, and I don't use any of them heavily enough, or have enough background in project management, to offer any useful opinions.

I'm still in the early stages of this. We started with Airtable but wanted something more built for purpose.

We next started with Asana but it seemed to have too much overhead, I didn't like the default formatting, and it didn't seem easy to adjust things (like the names of different statuses).

We're now trying Clickup and so far it's looking good. Also the price seems good, and it seems to be very useable as an internal knowledge base as well.

I highly recommend Asana. I have used a few different options in my personal life, including Todoist, and like Asana better than them.

If FutureTech is going to be a Notion shop, then I would use Notion for task tracking as well. But if not, then I think your users will find Asana easier to grok.

We use Asana at Rethink Priorities

Hi there!

I know I’m a bit late to this thread, but I couldn’t resist chiming in, especially with the advancements in project management tools as we head into 2025. Having tried multiple project management software options for various research projects, I’ve gathered some insights that I hope will be helpful.

For research-focused work, the key is balancing structure with flexibility. Tools that allow you to track intricate dependencies, collaborate across teams, and centralize data are invaluable. Some platforms are now leveraging AI to suggest optimal timelines, detect potential bottlenecks, and even automate routine tasks like progress reporting. These features can save countless hours while ensuring your project stays on track.

Another critical factor for research projects is knowledge management. Tools with robust document repositories and seamless integrations with platforms like Google Drive or Notion are game-changers for centralizing references and research materials.

Over the years, I’ve learned that no tool is one-size-fits-all. Some are fantastic at resource management, while others excel at communication and collaboration. It’s worth exploring tools that are highly customizable so you can tailor them to your team’s unique needs. Platforms like Asana, Trello, Monday, and Wrike come to mind as great choices, depending on what exactly you're looking for.

That said, if you're after a solution for managing larger, more complex projects, particularly with a research focus, I highly recommend looking into Celoxis. It offers robust project tracking, resource management, and even time tracking, all powered by AI to streamline workflows. It’s scalable, which makes it a great fit for medium to large teams.

I hope this helps, and I’m happy to discuss any specific tools or share more detailed experiences if you’re interested! 😊

Hey! Choosing project management software is def tricky—I get where you're coming from. I once had to decide on software for a team project and found that hearing from others' experiences really helped. Asana is solid, but exploring options could offer unique features tailored to research and project management. Have you considered setting up trials for a few platforms to see what fits MIT FutureTech's needs best? It might give you a clearer picture before making a final decision.